Man extradited from Tonga, charged with 1990 stabbing murder of Sydney woman Rita Caleo
ALANI AFU faced Central Local Court today, wearing a camouflage jacket, anf weas charged over the 1990 murder of millionaire restaurant owner Rita Caleo.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A father-of-six faced Central Local Court today wearing a camouflage jacket charged over the 1990 murder of millionaire restaurant owner Rita Caleo.
Alani Afu, 49, who was extradited from his home country Tonga yesterday, will return to court on Tuesday for the first day of the committal hearing against his co-accused, the late Ms Caleo’s husband Mark Caleo and his brother Gerard Caleo.
The three men have been charged over the cold case killing after a fresh investigation by the Homicide Squad’s Unsolved Homicide Team.
The Caleo brothers have also been charged with the murder of Ms Caleo’s brother, Dr Michael Chye, 36, who was shot dead as he drove his car into the garage of his Woollahra home just a year before his sister was stabbed to death.
Police have alleged that Ms Caleo’s murder was organised by Mark and Gerard Caleo and carried out by Afu after a multi-million property deal with Mr Chye went wrong.
One of Afu’s sisters has accompanied him from Tonga and sat in the back of the court today as her brother appeared via videolink from Surry Hills Correctional Centre.
His solicitor Peter Katsoulis said outside court that the circumstances of Afu’s arrest seemed “very unusual.” “He seems to be coping well,” Mr Katsoulis said.
Afu, who lived at Normanhurst at the time of Ms Caleo’s murder, did nor apply for bail and it was formally refused by magistrate Les Mabbutt.
Police have alleged that Mr Chye was killed because of a dispute with Mark Caleo over a $3.6 million waterfront property at Blakehurst in Sydney’s south.
Ms Caleo was so worried after her brother’s death that she gave her solicitor a sealed envelope that read: “To be opened only if my death is unnatural.”
She had also discovered her husband was having an affair with her close friend Janice Yap, according to a statement of facts previously tendered in court.
Liberals slam Defence’s $130K ‘DEI’-style role
The Department of Defence is hiring at “gender diversity and inclusion” officer, which could pay up to $130,000. Liberals say the job is waste of government spending.
Job fears over “Ikea-style’ bus imports
Jo Haylen vowed to build more buses for NSW, but by importing “Ikea-style” flatpack vehicles, much of the manufacturing will be done overseas, costing Australian jobs.